Admissions

Be visionary

Our students choose IU for the full spectrum of eye care and vision science.

Here, the research opportunities are as diverse as the patients we serve. From cataracts to diabetes, infants to senior citizens—we see it all, and it prepares us for the most rigorous careers in optometry.

We encourage you to visit before you apply. You’ll know it when you see it: a picturesque campus, a vibrant academic community, and the kind of city you’ll want to call home.

The ideal optometry student

The ideal optometry student is passionate about changing lives—and saving them. They have given their time and energy to important causes, to support the underprivileged and the underserved through community service and outreach.

We look for students who are not only proficient in the sciences, but who have strong interpersonal and communication skills. We also look for students who have spent time exploring the field of optometry, preferably through job shadowing, and who have a realistic idea of what’s ahead.

Of course, we look at test scores and GPA. The higher the better. But without communication skills and a passion for the profession, these are just numbers on paper.

Our students see dozens of patients each semester, and we expect the highest level of patient care.

They are also involved in some of the most cutting-edge research happening in the field—the kind of research that requires not only intellect, but a vision.

Current class profile (Class of 2020)

74students, from an applicant pool of 572

3.6undergraduate mean GPA

326OAT academic average

94%earned a bachelor’s degree prior to entering the school

30Indiana residents

38nonresidents, representing 21 states and 3 countries

55female students

19male students

23median age (ranging from 20 to 29)

Get the most for your money.

Tuition is more than a price tag—it’s an investment. Your tuition covers the cost of one of the nation’s best schools of optometry, more opportunities than you’ll find anywhere, and the reputation of an IU degree. There are plenty of ways to help pay for it, through scholarships, fellowships, grants, and student loans.

How our students performed on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exam (2016–17)

85%of students passed Part 1 on the first try (compared to national average of 72.9%)

97.1%of students passed Part 2 on the first try (compared to national average of 87.6%)

99%of students passed Part 3 by graduation

96%of students passed all three exams by graduation

Choose a school that feels like home

You are sure to find your people here, with more than 750 student organizations available to you, on a campus that always feels alive with things to do.

If you’re new to town, you’re in for a treat. Bloomington is often named one of the nation’s best college towns, with dozens of restaurants, miles of outdoor trails, and entertainment any night of the week. It’s the perfect place for serious graduate students who want to build a future and have fun doing it.